Letter to the Editor: More government is not answer to Quincy’s unsafe housing — better government is

The recent article in Muddy River News about a Quincy family escaping an electrical fire in their rental property is truly heartbreaking. No family should have to endure unsafe living conditions, and as responsible property owners, we sympathize with their hardship.

However, this story does not highlight a lack of laws. Rather, it exposes a failure in enforcement by the City of Quincy.

The Quincy Landlord Rental Association (QLRA) represents responsible landlords who invest heavily in maintaining and improving their properties. Our most recent survey of just 28 landlords in our group revealed:

• 1,063 rental units owned
•  $860,000 paid in property taxes
•  $440,400 paid in insurance premiums
•  $3.8 million in property improvements
•  176 previously uninhabitable units restored

These numbers prove that landlords in QLRA are not the problem. The worst offenders — the true “slumlords” — are not members of our association. The real issue is a city government that already has the tools to address unsafe housing but is failing to use them effectively.

Key points the public needs to know:

• The city already has laws to address unsafe housing. The existing property maintenance code gives the city the power to hold landlords accountable. No new regulations are needed. Just better enforcement of current laws.
• The city already has procedures in place. Property inspections and violation notices exist to ensure landlords comply with standards. The issue isn’t the lack of rules. It’s the failure to apply them fairly and consistently.
• This story shows how those procedures failed miserably, potentially making the City of Quincy liable. The City of Quincy failed this tenant by not enforcing its existing codes. Instead of fixing a broken system, proponents (of the Q-RILE non-binding ballot initiative) want more bureaucracy, more power and more regulations on responsible landlords. More government Is not the solution. Better government is. Q-RILE and Safe & Livable Housing are proposing more government oversight, but this case proves that more regulations will not fix lack of enforcement.
• Giving more power to a city government that already failed to act will not prevent situations like this from happening again. We contend that the proposed $33 fee will not begin to cover the cost of this program and additional fees or taxation will be needed to enact an ordinance, all of which will drive up the already expensive rent costs.

QLRA’s position calls for a smarter, fairer solution.

• Strengthen enforcement of existing laws instead of punishing responsible landlords with excessive new regulations.
• Hold problem landlords accountable without overburdening those who follow the rules. They already know who they are.
• Ensure requested inspections are timely and effective so tenants don’t have to live in unsafe conditions due to city inaction.

We urge city leaders, housing advocates and the public to focus on effective solutions that target bad landlords while supporting responsible solutions.

More government is not the answer. Better government is.

David Arns
President, Quincy Landlord Rental Association
Quincy, Illinois